To think this is a joke? Companies want so much for nothing

[ALittleCrisp]

Just seen two job adverts saying "Advanced Microsoft package skills is an absolute must".

The pay? £7.80 and £7.85 an hour

This country really has a problem.

Post the adverts, I'd like to see what the jobs actually entail, the hours, what sort of company before making a legitimate comment.

It's far easier to find your way around MS Office these days. They probably mean the person you'll be working for doesn't have a clue and can't type.

If kids came out of primary school without Ms office skills there'd be something wrong. I don't think it's unreasonable. The issue will be the interpretation of advanced. E.g. in excel are we talking macros? Or just pivots? Or not even that. Completely depends on the job.

In 2019 being able to use a computer reasonably competently is like asking for basic literacy and the ability to add up was 30 years ago.

Isn't minimum wage £7.83?

How much do you think they should for a package practically the entire country knows how to use?

I'm not saying they should be paying mega bucks.

But they specifically say "Advanced Microsoft package skills"

Bit different to simple skills on Word and Excel

It depends on what they mean by advanced skills. It's a vague term, and I'd guess they don't mean it in its true sense but more someone that knows their way around Office.

Being able to use Microsoft packages is a daily part of most office jobs to be fair.

Again, yes Microsoft is part of lost office jobs.

But surely someone else can see why "Advanced Microsoft package skills" sounds totally unreasonable for £7.85 an hour?

I'm not sure I see the problem here. Being able to use MS office software for entry level positions is a must these days.

Computer literacy is a basic.

Advanced is a vague term.
Can mean the difference between able to open and look at someone else’s excel file, and able to add your own formulas.

YABU.

Depends what you mean by advanced.... I don’t think it sounds unnecessarily low?

Perfectly reasonable request, just asking for a specific skill.

I'm not sure I see the problem here. Being able to use MS office software for entry level positions is a must these days.

Well yes, it is.

But "Microsoft package skills at an Advanced level" isn't really entry level.

I'm not really 'Advanced' on some Microsoft applications, but I'm paid over 30k a year for it.

That's why I'm saying "Advanced Microsoft package skills" for less than 8 quid an hour sounds a bit bonkers

Yanbu.
Basic excel, word and PowerPoint would be ok.
Avanced at that salary is taking the piss.

For everyone saying it's perfectly reasonable, how are your skills in Silverlight? Do you even know what Silverlight is?

Microsoft packages cover far more than Office!

But your interpretation of 'advanced' and those of the person writing the ad/the likely pool of candidates might be completely different.

Advanced excel is actually a really specialist skill. Creating macros, querying databases, potentially linking to other programmes and datasets using SQL, Pythion....

If that’s what they mean, YANBU.

I don't know what macros or pivots are (as part of a Microsoft package). That sounds "advanced" to me.

Yanbu op. Working people, young, old, experienced, inexperienced are simply not paid enough in this country! Look at the sickening gap in incomes between CEOs and their workforce and the astonishing rate at which this has widened in the last 20 or so years.

Wages in "ordinary" jobs have absolutely stalled.

Advanced office skills aren't complex. If you don't know them you can learn them very quickly with MS help and google.

'Advanced' is so vague. If theyd followed that sentence with specific examples then they would probably get more quality applicants. As it stands (judging by the responses here) people will either be scared off by the term or blindly apply without necessarily having the skills needed for the role.

Saw a job ad like that the other day a sort of maintenance manger must have lots of know how re the health and saftee at work act this that and the other on and on it went and the salery?

Between £21 to £23.5 K PA!

For everyone saying it's perfectly reasonable, how are your skills in Silverlight? Do you even know what Silverlight is?

Considering silverlight is pretty much end of life and would be under a dev job, and if a company is using it most devs would steer clear, it still would not be advertised under the vague term of "Advanced Microsoft package skills"